Automatic ge



(NoModeL) I r. G. JOHNSON.

, AUTOMATIC GRAPPLING BUCKET.

No. 255,172. I "Patented Mar'L2L1882.

ssns: INVENTOR:

N. nnnnnnnn o-Lilhogflphur, Washin ton, a c.

- UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE,

AUTOMATIC GRAPPLlNG-BUCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,172, dated March 21, 1882.

Application filedAugnstlfi, 1881. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK G. JoHNsoN, a

citizen of't'ne United States, residing'in the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Grappling- Buckets, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

My improvements relate more particularly to semi-globular grappling-buckets for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the 1st day ofMarch, 1881, numbered 238,293, and on the 2d day of August, 188l,numbered 245,073.

The improvements herein described consist, first, in the method of constructing thejoints so as to allow horizontal movement of the blades, which, by experience, it is found are more practical and useful than other joints 2o heretofore employed; second, in the method of providing opening power of the bucket for Overhauling the heavy closing and hoisting chain; third, in the method of providing the closing stop or bumpers of the bucket to prevent a straining action on the carrying-arms. Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents a general view of these improvements; Fig. 2, a vertical section in the direction of the line 00 in Fig. 3 to show the 0 construction of the joints; Fig. 3, a horizontal section to further illustrate the construction of thejoints.

e A, Fig. 1, is the upper sheave'blo'ck, to which are attached the working-arms C G. B, Fig.

1, is the lower sheave-block, to which are attached the carrying-arms D D. These two sheave-blocks A and B are differently constructed from those employed in either of the above-mentioned patents or in my pending 0 application for Letters Patent for an improvementin automatic grappling'buckets, filed August 1, 1881. These sheave-blocks A- and B are each made in a single piece and so formed as to attain four specific objects besides that of carrying the sheaves, viz: first, to afford suitable attachments for the working-arms O G and the carrying-arms D D; second, to furnish additional weight to the bucket, especially in that part, B, which acts as the chief opening poweror force of the bucket, always needed to overhaul the heavy closing and hoisting chain; third, to provide a suitable closing stop or bumper, by which an undue strain on the'carrying-arms D D is avoided after the bucket is closed and filled; and, fourth, to provide a powerfully-resistant bottom to the lowersheave-block, B, which, when the bucket is dropped on its work, is always liable-to come into violent'contact with stones, rocks,'&c. As shown by Fig. 1, each of these two sheave-blocks A and B is made essentially in the form of a frustum of a cone, the upper one, A, being inverted and enlarged at the base to facilitate the attachment of the carrying-arms D D. Passing through the center of these conical sheave-blocks, save at the top of one and the bottom of the other, is a vertical opening to receive the sheaves, adjacent to and on either side'of which opening, and attached to the cone, is extended a suitable flange to increase the lateral dimensions of theseshoave-blocks. The relative length of these conical sheave-blocks, the working-arms O O, and carrying-arms D Dis such that when the bucket is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, these cones A and B will comeinto contact and form a closing stop or bumper, thus relieving the carrying-arms D D from all strain save that of the weight of the contents of the bucket. These frustums of cones, as is evident, can be and are made sufficiently large, either in length or diameter, or both, to give any needed weight to the bucket for hand-digging or for increasing its opening power to overhaul the necessarily heavy closing and hoisting chain.

The bottom end of the sheave-block B is rounded, and presents a solid heavy body of iron to resist the oftentimes powerful concussion between itself and unyielding substances, as stones, rocks, c.

Itis found by experience that in a semi-globular grappling-bucket, where it is employedfor handling resistant objects-as stones, &o.-it becomes necessary to allow each of the several sections of such buckets unlimited freedom to move horizontally around its points of attachment to the sheave-blocks A and B. Therefore the chief feature of my improvements relates to the construction of the joints between these sheave-blocks A and B, and the working- 100 arms 0 U and carrying-arms D D, which construction is described thus: I

b b are staples, of suitable size and material, which, after passing through the eyes d d of the carrying-arms D D, are inserted in the bottom of the sheave-block B, Figs. 2 and 3, which are securely held in place by means of suitable screw key-bolts, c e, which pass up from the lower surface ofthesheave-block Band rest in a slot made on one side of the two armsol' the staple, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The heads of the key-bolts e e are countersunk to prevent them from becoming battered by stones, rocks, &c. The carrying-arms D D, at and near to their attachment to the staples b I) b, are somewhat goose-necked from d to d, Fig. 2, to prevent the arms D D from striking the sheaveblock B when the bucket is fully opened, and to prevent the eye of the arms D D from cramping on the staples b b b when the bucket is being closed and the blades are moved horizontally around their points of attachment. This goose-neck shape to the arms DD is found tobe indispensable to perfect freedom of the needed horizontal motion of the several sections of the bucket.

Thejoints between the upper sheave-block, A, and the working-arms (J 0 aremade in exactly the same manner as those between the sheave-block B and the carrying-arms D D, save that the working-arms O O terminate in a straight line instead of having the gooseneck head, as shown at c c, Fig. 1.

The center of vertical curvature and motion of the several sections of the bucket is at the common center of the bucket instead of at the points of contact between the arms D D and the sheave-block B, as shown by D D.

The vertical curvature and motion of the several blades are shown by the dotted curved lineff, Fig. 1, when centered from the points of contact between the arms I) D. and the sheave-block B.

The horizontal shape of the bucket is that of a circle, so that the bucket, when closed, is in form semi-globular.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-- 1. In connection with the semi globular bucket, Fig. 1, the sheaveblocks A and B, consisting of single pieces and having the form of a frustunnofa cone, substantially in themanner and for the purposes set forth.

2. In connection with the semi globular bucket, Fig. 1, the staple and eye joints, consisting of the staples b b I) and the eyes (1 d d and key-bolts e e, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

3. In connection with the semi globular bucket, Fig. 1, the staple and eye joints 1) I) b andd d d, as described, in combination with the conical sheave-blocks A and B and carry tag-arms D D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

- FRANK Gr; JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

J N0. J. MALMAR,

FRANK R. JOHNSON. 

